Astronomers watch as planets are annihilated

by Nathan Natas 8 Replies latest jw friends

  • Nathan Natas
    Nathan Natas

    http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994172

    Giant star caught swallowing three planets


    12:20 17 September 03

    NewScientist.com news service


    The burst of light from V838 Monocerotis "echoed" outwards as it illuminated circumstellar dust. Sequence: May to December 2002 (Hubble image: NASA, ESA and H E Bond, STScI)

    A giant star has been caught in the act of swallowing three planets, one after the other, with each "meal" accompanied by a massive eruption.

    "It has been suggested in the past that stars might engulf planets in this way, but we believe we have actually caught this action for the first time," says Alon Retter of the University of Sydney, Australia.

    The star, known as V838 Monocerotis, is about 20,000 light years from Earth. In January 2002, it temporarily became the brightest star in the Milky Way, 600,000 times more luminous than the Sun. At the time, astronomers struggled to explain the spectacular explosion.

    Retter and colleague Ariel Marom believe their new analysis of light emissions from the star indicates that it was a red giant that expanded and successively swallowed three relatively massive planets in quick succession. The time between the first and the last engulfment was only about two months.

    "In principle, that explanation seems OK," says John Lattanzio, director of the Centre for Stellar and Planetary Astrophysics at Monash University. But he says the star was too hot to have been a red giant. "It was probably one that was on its way there - that could fit the parameters."

    Existing models of what will happen when our Sun expands to become a red giant, in about one billion years, suggest that Venus and Mercury will both be engulfed. The likely fate of the Earth is unclear. "Our work suggests that once one planet is engulfed, there is an eruption, and then further expansion - so it might suggest that Earth will indeed be swallowed. But this will need to be checked carefully with the models," Retter says.

    Twin peaks

    The light analysed from V838 Monocerotis shows that after a short but gradual decline in luminosity following January's outburst, the star suddenly increased in brightness again in early February. The phenomenon was repeated a third time in March.

    Retter and Marom found that each of the three maximum peaks in brightness were followed by secondary, weaker peaks. This repeating pattern suggests each event had the same cause, says Retter. The data also reveals the presence of large amounts of lithium and barium, which astronomers had proposed might indicate that a star had swallowed a planet.

    Initially it was suggested that the first explosion was some kind of nova outburst, but this was hard to match to the observations. Other researchers suggested that two stars had collided.

    "But again, this cannot explain the complicated light curve," Retter says "Our explanation, that the star swallowed three planets, fits all the observational features of the star."

    Retter and Marom describe their analysis in a letter accepted by the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

  • gumby
    gumby

    Intresting Nathan,

    Existing models of what will happen when our Sun expands to become a red giant, in about one billion years

    I was under the impression that our sun was to eventually burn itself out.......not expand.

    Gumby

  • Mutz
    Mutz

    That's nothing to worry about. Our Galaxy is going to collide with the Andromeda Spiral in about 15,000 million years!!! :)

  • drwtsn32
    drwtsn32
    I was under the impression that our sun was to eventually burn itself out.......not expand.

    A star will expand into a red giant as its nuclear fuel becomes depleted (the core contracts but the outer layers expand). At this point it swallows the planets closest to it. (Our sun, for example, will expand past the orbit of the earth...completely consuming it). It then shrinks down to a white dwarf and then finally a black dwarf.

  • xjw_b12
    xjw_b12
    when our Sun expands to become a red giant, in about one billion years, suggest that Venus and Mercury will both be engulfed. The likely fate of the Earth is unclear. "

    Perhaps that will be Armageddon !

    Matthew 24 29 "Immediately after the distress of those days
    " 'the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light;
    the stars will fall from the sky,
    and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.

    Revelation 8 12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

    A billion years eh! Perhaps the WTBTS will see this as " new light" or the lack thereof.

    xjw_b12 glad he startred a RSP a long, time ago.

  • Special K
    Special K

    If it's heading our way....

    Do we send up Bruce Willis to drill it and blow it up.

    special k

  • Dawn
    Dawn

    I've got it ....... new light...........

    The generation problem resolved........I'll submit this to the borg for next Watchtower. Get your colored highlighters ready!

    Since this generation now knows "how" armageddon would come AND "when", it is as though they have actually witnessed the event first hand. Just as Jesus stated in John 8:56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad". Abraham did not actually see Jesus day - but having detailed information in advance of Jesus coming was as though he was there in person witnessing the events. So, in essence, Jesus' words in Matthew that "this generation of 1914 will not pass away until all these things have occurred" refers to the knowledge of these events to unfold at a future date.

    With Armageddon appearing to be far out on the horrizon does this mean that we as true Christians can relax our stand? On the contrary! This information should spur us on to more field service activity. Now is not the time to be sidetracked by the daily things of the world - the devil is wandering as a roaring lion seeking to devour someone. And we, having the true faith, must always be on guard so as not to loose out in the race for eternal life.

    So........how'd I do? Think the borg will hire me? Ohhhhhh I can hardly wait to give up my high paying job for a $20 allowance and a dorm room! (Dawn...waiting by the phone with excitment.....)

  • Gigamesh
    Gigamesh

    A billion years eh!

    You were close, but it will definitely happen in 1975 million years.

  • Big Tex
    Big Tex
    Existing models of what will happen when our Sun expands to become a red giant, in about one billion years, suggest that Venus and Mercury will both be engulfed. The likely fate of the Earth is unclear.

    I thought we had 5 billion years. I feel cheated somehow.

    Well fascinating article. Thanks Nathan for posting it. Fantastic photos. When I see things like this I can't help but wonder is there any living thing out there in that solar system? Not necessarily intelligent, but just alive. Could be a planet of dinosaurs for all we know. But it seems to me there is a whole galaxy out there full of mystery and we don't have a clue yet what we'll find.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit